After the Balance
by jessmerrick
Summary: Clone Jack says goodbye to Sam.


**After the Balance**

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Authors Notes: I'm in love with Clone O'Neill aka Michael Welch. Check out my fan site at http:www.michaelwelch.tk

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Jack O'Neill headed off to the Locker Room to take a shower and get dressed, leaving his team in the Gate Room. Thor had beamed them down from the ship a few seconds ago.  
  
Teal'C bowed his head and smiled slightly. "I wish you well in your...new...life."  
  
"Thanks Teal'C," The Clone Jack smiled sadly. "It's been an honour to know you. Take care of yourself, bro." He shook the Jaffa's hand, and then gave him a quick hug.  
  
"Indeed." Teal'C said, before following O'Neill out of the room.  
  
"I decided I'm going to be known as MJ O'Neill now. Mini Jack. I don't like what it stands for, but I like it when it's shortened. MJ or Johnny," Johnny told Sam and Daniel.  
  
"Well, MJ, if you do ever need anything, you'll let me know?" Daniel asked, stepping forward.  
  
"Sure," Johnny nodded, although they both knew he probably wouldn't.  
  
"This is weird," Dan sighed.  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Best of luck," he added. "I've got to go...my bleeper is going off."  
  
"So I heard. Go," Johnny grinned, shaking his hand and then patting him on the back.  
  
Soon it was just Johnny and Samantha Carter. Just him and Sam. Him and the woman he loved.  
  
There was silence for a moment and then Sam said, "Hey, why don't we go and gather up your Playstation and stuff?"  
  
"I can take that?"  
  
"Well yeah, we said we'd set you up with everything. I think your new high school friends would be suspicious if you didn't have a Playstation," She grinned.  
  
"Cool," he nodded.  
  
As they went down to the VIP room where Johnny had spent the last half of his stay, he took another, last look at the hallways and the people that filled them. He was going to miss this place. He was going to miss saving the world.  
  
And, yet, at the same time, he wasn't.  
  
The fate of the world didn't depend on him. Nothing depended on him any more. That was kind of nice.  
  
All he had to do was pass Math.  
  
When they arrived, Sam began to gather up the Playstation Games and put them in to the box Siler had left. Jack unplugged the games console and then stopped and walked over to her, pulling her up on to her feet.  
  
He stood, facing her. "Sam."  
  
"Johnny," she sighed. She felt so incredibly sad to be saying goodbye to the man she loved. But, she wasn't. Her Jack O'Neill was staying. Johnny O'Neill, the one who was way too young for her, was leaving. It was bizzare.  
  
"Sam, I don't know what to say. I've been thinking about this...and...I don't know how to say goodbye to you," He told her. "I'm not sure how I say goodbye to you."  
  
"Maybe we shouldn't say goodbye then," she said, "Maybe we should just say Au revoir."  
  
"There's something I wanted you to know," Johnny said as he stepped forward. He looked up, in to her eyes. "I love you. I loved you since the arm wrestle crack in the Briefing Room."  
  
"I...I feel the same," she admitted, "I love Jack O'Neill. And I love you, because you're him. But, you're not him, and it's really confusing. I can't imagine how confusing and strange this is for you. It must be horrible. But you're in a 15-year-old's body and that's that. I'm 34 years old and you're a kid, now. And you have to go and live your life over. Without me. And I have to stay here, and live my life, with my Colonel O'Neill. I'm sorry that it has to be that way, because it must be awful for you. But that is the way it has to go."  
  
"He wishes things could be different," he told her, his hand on her arm.  
  
"So do I."  
  
"Sam?" He began.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I know I need to go. But please, can you do one thing for me before I do?" He asked, staring at her face, memorising her. "Just one thing, and then I'll be out of your life."  
  
She knew what he was asking, and she nodded. She leant forward and kissed him on the cheek, and then wrapped her arms around him.  
  
"Good luck, MJ," She smiled, letting go of him a minute or so later.  
  
"I'll miss you, even though you won't miss me," Johnny said before grabbing the box, and walking off down the corridor. 


End file.
